Madoff Gives First Prison Interview To Victims' Lawyers

Bernie Madoff has given his first prison interview…to attorneys representing his victims. Highlights: He’s quite candid now (what has he got to lose?), he can’t believe that he got away with running an epic Ponzi scheme for as long as he did, and apparently he’s been working out.

[Attorney Joseph] Cotchett said Madoff was “very articulate, very direct” and did not appear to hold back anything. “He talked about how he pulled it off, how many years he got away with it,” the lawyer said.

“I was surprised at how candid he was,” Cotchett told ABCNews.com after the session, the first time Madoff has talked with outside lawyers. Madoff refused to cooperate with the FBI after his initial, largely untruthful confession last December.

Cotchett said Madoff “did not dodge” any of the questions he asked and that Madoff’s lawyer did not object to any of the questions.

The victims’ attorneys have not yet decided whether to go after other members of the Madoff family. Confidential to Ruth Madoff: There’s always money in the banana stand.